Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Doug Barrow, Charles Bowman, Roger Chadwick, Dhruv Patel, Stephen Haines, Baroness Scotland, Giles Shilson and Sir David Wootton.

Sir Michael Snyder declared an interest in item no 6 as he was currently being considered as a possible patron of the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2015.

The public minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2015 were approved.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the introduction of the single transferable vote system at the Court of Common Council for elections where there are multiple vacancies.

Discussion ensued on the merits of the introduction of an alternative voting system. Members were of the view that where there are multiple vacancies the current first past the post voting system should be retained.

RESOLVED – that where there are multiple vacancies the current first past the post voting system should be retained.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning the creation of a Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – that subject to the approval of the Court of Common Council:-

1.     combined responsibility for scrutiny of health and social care be retained and managed by the creation of a new stand-alone Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee;

2.     no Member of the Community & Children’s Services Committee or the Health & Wellbeing Board should serve on the Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee; and

3.     in view of the proposed restrictions on the ‘pool’ of Members available to constitute the Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee, that the new Health & Social Care Committee should be one of those listed as an exception under Standing Order 29(3) in terms of dual Chairmanship.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning a request from the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust that the City of London Corporation considers becoming a founding partner of its project to create a new national police memorial.

RESOLVED – that:-

1.     the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust’s project to create a new national police memorial which pays tribute to the UK’s Police Service and honours those officers who have died in service be supported and that a sum of £250,000 be contributed towards its cost;

2.     the above-mentioned contribution be spread over five years with the first year’s funding £50,000) being met from the Finance Committee’s City’s Cash Contingency, subject to the approval of that Committee; and

3.     funding for the remaining four years be met by adjusting the base budget of this Committee (i.e. City’s Cash).

Joint report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain and Remembrancer.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain and the Remembrancer concerning the revenue budgets overseen by the Committee.

A Member queried the decrease in the budget for the security and contingency planning division. The Committee was informed that the security measures in the City Corporation’s operational properties were currently under review. Whilst the outcome would be reported to this Committee, early indications were that additional resources would be required.

Concern was expressed about the effects of including budget carry-forwards as it made it appear as though costs were being driven down when in fact it might be the opposite. It was suggested that in future it would be helpful to include a fifth column in table 1 setting out the original budget for the current year i.e. 2015/16. The Financial Services Director undertook to look into the matter.

RESOLVED – That:-

1.     the provisional revenue budget for 2016/17 be approved as set in the report and be forwarded to the Finance Committee;

2.     the Chamberlain be authorised to revise the budgets to allow for further implications arising from the Service Based Reviews, corporate efficiency projects and the finalisation of support service charges; and

3.     the Chamberlain be requested to look at the introduction of an additional column in the main table of the report which sets out the figures for the original budget for the current year.

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Human Resources concerning the appointment of a City Surveyor.

A Member referred to the Committee’s terms of reference and questioned whether the appointment of the City Surveyor in consultation with the Investment Committee should follow the same practice used for other committees which share such responsibility with the appointment being referred to explicitly in the terms of reference of the Investment Committee. Members were assured that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Property Investment Board of the Investment Committee would be involved in the recruitment process and it was therefore agreed that no change was necessary.

RESOLVED – That an appointment to the post of City Surveyor be progressed and that a Recruitment Panel be appointed in accordance with the Chief Officer recruitment process as follows:-

·           Chairman and a Deputy Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee

·           Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Property Investment Board

·           Chairman of the Establishment Committee

·           Town Clerk

Joint report of the Director of HR and the Transportation & Public Realm Director.

This report was withdrawn.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning proposals to improve Bank Junction and the options for achieving this.

The following supporting documents items were also considered:-

·           resolutions from both the Streets and Walkways and Projects Sub-Committees

·           an appendix to the report; and

·           a map of the Bank Junction area

The Chairman reminded Members that any proposal involving the closure of a major road in the City needed to be considered by this Committee as well as the service committee given the wide ranging implications of such action.

Detailed discussion ensued and amongst other things the following comments were made:-

·           further investigative work should include the use of taxis to ensure that those who were less mobile were able get round the City;

·           the level of congestion in the City was caused by the high amount of road works being undertaken at the same time. It was therefore important to ensure that any proposal for improving Bank Junction did not exacerbate the traffic flow problems currently being experienced further. Care should be taken to ensure that the City remained open for business.

·           a Member questioned whether any scheme would address the problem at the junction, commenting that the traffic scheme currently in place might be as good as it gets.

·           several Members were of the view that the junction could be improved and that every effort should be made to do this. It was pointed out that a lot of research had been undertaken already and Members were provided with an explanation of why pursuing only one option had been favoured initially. Notwithstanding this more detailed work would also be undertaken on a number of other options.

·           The Chairman advised that at this stage the Committee would be agreeing to undertake more investigative work only

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s services concerning the governance arrangements for the City Corporation’s sole-sponsored academies.

The Chairman referred to the creation of a new company and the appointment of Trustees. He suggested that Hugh Morris and Andrew McMurtrie be appointed as the Committee’s representatives on the new company. This was supported by Members.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the approval of the Court of Common Council:-

1.     the City of London Corporation have one legal entity to continue to deliver the academies for which it was sole-sponsor and that this entity be the City of London Academies (Southwark) - “Southwark Multi-academy Trust” (MAT);

2.     the City of London Primary Academy Islington (COLPAI) undertaking be transferred to Southwark MAT and the COLPAI company be wound up, with  this recommendation being made to the members of that company who were all City Corporation officers and elected Members;

3.     consistent with (1) above the City Corporation recommend to the Southwark MAT that the company change its name to the “City of London Academies” and that the registered office be transferred to the Guildhall;

4.     the City Corporation as sponsor exercises its rights to make the following changes to the Southwark MAT’s company members:–

a.      by replacing the current members (whether by resignation or removal); and

b.      to appoint up to four new members of the company, to be the Chairman and a Deputy Chairman of the Policy Committee, and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Education Board.

5.     it be recommended to the members of the company, once appointed under 4 (b) above, that they adopt new Articles of Association effective on a named date (“the transition date”) which reflect the current Department for Education (DfE) model multi-academy trust (MAT) Articles of

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Economic Development concerning the East End Community Foundation (EECF).

Reference was made to the appointment of the City Corporation’s representative on the new outside body. It was agreed that the Chairman should approach Sophie Fernandes about the appointment and that she should be appointed subject to her willingness to undertake the role.

RESOLVED –That:-

1.     approval be given to the City Corporation becoming a member of the EECF;

2.     the annual membership fee of £200 be met from the Economic Development Office’s local risk budget; and

3.     the Chairman be requested to approach Sophie Fernandes to serve as the City Corporation’s representative on this outside body and, subject to her willingness to undertake the role, she be appointed to serve on the EECF.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain concerning the Policy Initiatives Fund and the Committee Contingency for 2015/16.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no urgent items.

There were no items of urgent business.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act: -

Item Nos.                                   Paragraph(s) in Schedule 12A

                 17                                                                3

                 19                                                               3

20                                                                1 and 3

Non-Public Agenda

To agree the non-public minutes of meetings held on 19 November 2015.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2015 were approved.

There were no questions.

The Committee considered and agreed the following items of urgent business.

19a.  Police Museum

A report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries concerning the relocation of the City of London Police Museum into space within in Guildhall. A resolution of the Projects Sub-Committee was also considered thereon.

19b. Museum of London Preliminary Study – Delegated Authority Request

A report of the City Surveyor concerning the relocation of the Museum of London and the preliminary investigations required to gain a better understanding of its proposed new location.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered and agreed a report of the Town Clerk concerning the City Corporation’s printing and copying services.